John McArthur
|died= |placeofbirth= Erskine, Scotland |placeofdeath= Chicago, Illinois |placeofburial= |placeofburial_label= Place of burial |image= |caption= John McArthur |allegiance= United States of America Union |branch= Union Army |serviceyears= |rank= Brigadier General |commands= |unit= |battles= American Civil War *Battle of Fort Donelson *Battle of Shiloh *Battle of Corinth *Siege of Vicksburg *Battle of Nashville *Battle of Fort Blakely |awards= |laterwork= }} John McArthur (November 17, 1826 – May 15, 1906) was a Union general during the American Civil War. McArthur became one of the ablest Federal commanders in the Western Theater.Daniel, p. 221. Early life McArthur was born in Erskine, Scotland. He learned to be a blacksmith and emigrated to the United States at age 23 and settled in Chicago. He was the proprietor of the Excelsior Iron Works.Eicher, p. 370. He also served in the Chicago Highland Guards militia unit. Civil War At the outbreak of the Civil War, McArthur was appointed colonel of an Illinois volunteer regiment. Shortly after, he was elevated to command the 1st Brigade in Brig. Gen. William F. "Baldy" Smith's division and saw action at the Battle of Fort Donelson. He was promoted to brigadier general on March 21, 1862, and led the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division of the Army of the Tennessee at the Battle of Shiloh. Members of his brigade wore Scottish caps and were thus nicknamed the "Highland Brigade". McArthur was wounded leading his brigade in a breakout of the Confederate encirclement on the first day of Shiloh. He led his brigade during the following Siege of CorinthOfficial Report. Following the capture of Corinth, McArthur took command of the 6th Division and was ordered to reinforce Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans's Army of Mississippi, stationed at Corinth. On the eve of the battle of Corinth, Brig. Gen. Thomas J. McKean arrived from Saint Louis and due to his rank superseded McArthur in command of the division. Orders were given placing McKean in command of the division but no orders were given to reassign McArthur. Therefore, McArthur was without a command for a brief period but remained close at hand, even helping Colonel John M. Oliver position the pickets for his neighboring brigade.Cozzens, p. 151. A staff officer at Rosecrans's headquarters remembered McArthur's predicament and a special order was immediately sent out returning McArthur to command of the 1st Brigade, 6th Division, which had recently been commanded by Colonel Benjamin Allen while McArthur was in divisional command.Cozzens, p. 154. After Corinth, McArthur returned to command the 6th Division, now part of the XVII Corps. He led it during the siege of Vicksburg and commanded the post at Vicksburg after the Confederate surrender. He was in command of the 1st Division, XVI Corps and was involved in the pursuit of Sterling Price's Missouri Raid. His division was transferred with the rest of the corps to Tennessee, where his troops played a significant role in breaking the Confederate lines the second day of the Battle of Nashville. He received a brevet promotion to major general of volunteers for his actions in that battle. He also led his division into action at the Battle of Fort Blakely. Postbellum life After the war, he was involved in a number of occupations, including Commissioner of Chicago Public Works during the Chicago Fire, Postmaster General of Chicago, and general manager of the Chicago and Vert Island Stone Company. McArthur died in Chicago, Illinois. See also *List of American Civil War generals Notes References *American History: General John McArthur * Cozzens, Peter, The Darkest Days of the War: The Battles of Iuka and Corinth, University of North Carolina Press, 1997, ISBN 0-8078-2320-1. * Daniel, Larry J., Shiloh: The Battle that Changed the Civil War, Simon and Schuster, 1997, ISBN 0-684-83857-5. Category:1826 births Category:1906 deaths Category:Burials at Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago Category:Foundrymen Category:People from Chicago, Illinois Category:People from Renfrewshire Category:People of Illinois in the American Civil War Category:American people of Scottish descent Category:Union Army generals